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Travel from the UAE in numbers

UAE airports recorded 43.0 million departures in 2025, and 44.4% of all passenger movements were transit. India, Saudi Arabia and the UK were DXB's largest country markets, and Germany took the most Schengen visa applications in the UAE. None of these figures counts residents' trips by destination.

Updated 2 min read

Is there a count of where UAE residents travel?

No. Airport departures, airport markets, visa applications and search data each count something narrower, and none of them counts UAE residents’ trips by destination.

Table A.What each figure counts, and what it leaves out
FigureCountsDoes not showLargestPeriod
UAE.Stat departuresAll passengers departing UAE airportsDestination, nationality, residence. Includes visitors going homeDubai, 29,571,9452025
DXB marketsGuests by country and city, both directionsResidents. Transfers appear to be includedIndia, 11.9 million2025
Schengen applicationsUniform visa applications at consulates in the UAETravellers, trips, nationalityGermany, 40,5552025
Google TrendsRelative search interest within one group of search termsVolumes, trips or motiveuk visa, 6812 months to 4 Nov 2026
Google AdsEstimated monthly searchesTrips or motiveschengen visa dubai, 2,9004 Nov 2026

How many people fly out of UAE airports?

UAE airports recorded 43,036,720 departures in 2025, along with 44,241,785 arrivals and 69,592,386 transit passengers, a total of 156,870,891 movements.1 Transit made up 44.4% of all movements, 42.8% in Dubai and 52.5% in Abu Dhabi.

Fig. 1.Departures from UAE airports reached 43.0 million in 2025, and transit 69.6 million

UAE airport passenger movements, 2016 to 2025. All passengers, residents and visitors.

  • Transit
  • Arrivals
  • Departures
020M40M60M80M2016201720182019202020212022202320242025Departures fall to 11.8 million2016: Transit 64,197,055 passengers, Arrivals 30,570,222 passengers, Departures 29,592,142 passengers2017: Transit 64,728,102 passengers, Arrivals 31,330,509 passengers, Departures 30,503,414 passengers2018: Transit 64,110,817 passengers, Arrivals 32,583,997 passengers, Departures 32,395,382 passengers2019: Transit 62,894,865 passengers, Arrivals 32,405,577 passengers, Departures 32,655,927 passengers2020: Transit 15,536,158 passengers, Arrivals 11,076,789 passengers, Departures 11,778,215 passengers2021: Transit 13,176,887 passengers, Arrivals 16,913,649 passengers, Departures 15,824,678 passengers2022: Transit 41,912,232 passengers, Arrivals 29,926,799 passengers, Departures 29,172,619 passengers2023: Transit 57,327,571 passengers, Arrivals 37,856,641 passengers, Departures 37,354,316 passengers2024: Transit 64,395,291 passengers, Arrivals 41,675,066 passengers, Departures 41,762,368 passengers2025: Transit 69,592,386 passengers, Arrivals 44,241,785 passengers, Departures 43,036,720 passengers020M40M60M80M2016201720182019202020212022202320242025Departures fall to 11.8 million2016: Transit 64,197,055 passengers, Arrivals 30,570,222 passengers, Departures 29,592,142 passengers2017: Transit 64,728,102 passengers, Arrivals 31,330,509 passengers, Departures 30,503,414 passengers2018: Transit 64,110,817 passengers, Arrivals 32,583,997 passengers, Departures 32,395,382 passengers2019: Transit 62,894,865 passengers, Arrivals 32,405,577 passengers, Departures 32,655,927 passengers2020: Transit 15,536,158 passengers, Arrivals 11,076,789 passengers, Departures 11,778,215 passengers2021: Transit 13,176,887 passengers, Arrivals 16,913,649 passengers, Departures 15,824,678 passengers2022: Transit 41,912,232 passengers, Arrivals 29,926,799 passengers, Departures 29,172,619 passengers2023: Transit 57,327,571 passengers, Arrivals 37,856,641 passengers, Departures 37,354,316 passengers2024: Transit 64,395,291 passengers, Arrivals 41,675,066 passengers, Departures 41,762,368 passengers2025: Transit 69,592,386 passengers, Arrivals 44,241,785 passengers, Departures 43,036,720 passengers020M40M60M80M20162018202020222025Departures fall to 11.8 million2016: Transit 64,197,055 passengers, Arrivals 30,570,222 passengers, Departures 29,592,142 passengers2017: Transit 64,728,102 passengers, Arrivals 31,330,509 passengers, Departures 30,503,414 passengers2018: Transit 64,110,817 passengers, Arrivals 32,583,997 passengers, Departures 32,395,382 passengers2019: Transit 62,894,865 passengers, Arrivals 32,405,577 passengers, Departures 32,655,927 passengers2020: Transit 15,536,158 passengers, Arrivals 11,076,789 passengers, Departures 11,778,215 passengers2021: Transit 13,176,887 passengers, Arrivals 16,913,649 passengers, Departures 15,824,678 passengers2022: Transit 41,912,232 passengers, Arrivals 29,926,799 passengers, Departures 29,172,619 passengers2023: Transit 57,327,571 passengers, Arrivals 37,856,641 passengers, Departures 37,354,316 passengers2024: Transit 64,395,291 passengers, Arrivals 41,675,066 passengers, Departures 41,762,368 passengers2025: Transit 69,592,386 passengers, Arrivals 44,241,785 passengers, Departures 43,036,720 passengers

Transit: 2016, 64,197,055 passengers to 2025, 69,592,386 passengers. Highest 2025, 69,592,386 passengers. Arrivals: 2016, 30,570,222 passengers to 2025, 44,241,785 passengers. Highest 2025, 44,241,785 passengers. Departures: 2016, 29,592,142 passengers to 2025, 43,036,720 passengers. Highest 2025, 43,036,720 passengers.

Source

Source: FCSC, UAE.Stat, source General Civil Aviation Authority, Passenger Movements through Airports by Emirate. Accessed 4 Nov 2026.

Departures were 32,655,927 in 2019, fell to 11,778,215 in 2020, and reached 41,762,368 in 2024. The 2025 figure is 3.1% above 2024.1 Departures include visitors going home, so they are not a count of residents’ trips.

Fig. 2.Dubai's airports handled 29.6 million of the UAE's 43.0 million departures in 2025

Departures by emirate, 2025.

Dubai29,571,945 passengersDubai: 29,571,945 passengersAbu Dhabi7,940,744 passengersAbu Dhabi: 7,940,744 passengersSharjah5,000,898 passengersSharjah: 5,000,898 passengersRas Al Khaimah451,449 passengersRas Al Khaimah: 451,449 passengersFujairah70,632 passengersFujairah: 70,632 passengersOther local airports1,052 passengersOther local airports: 1,052 passengersDubai29,571,945 passengersDubai: 29,571,945 passengersAbu Dhabi7,940,744 passengersAbu Dhabi: 7,940,744 passengersSharjah5,000,898 passengersSharjah: 5,000,898 passengersRas Al Khaimah451,449 passengersRas Al Khaimah: 451,449 passengersFujairah70,632 passengersFujairah: 70,632 passengersOther local airports1,052 passengersOther local airports: 1,052 passengersDubai29,571,945 passengersDubai: 29,571,945 passengersAbu Dhabi7,940,744 passengersAbu Dhabi: 7,940,744 passengersSharjah5,000,898 passengersSharjah: 5,000,898 passengersRas Al Khaimah451,449 passengersRas Al Khaimah: 451,449 passengersFujairah70,632 passengersFujairah: 70,632 passengersOther local airports1,052 passengersOther local airports: 1,052 passengers

6 categories. Highest: Dubai, 29,571,945 passengers. Lowest: Other local airports, 1,052 passengers.

Source

Source: FCSC, UAE.Stat, source General Civil Aviation Authority, Passenger Movements through Airports by Emirate. Accessed 4 Nov 2026.

Abu Dhabi Airports reports over 33 million passengers through its airports in 2025.2

Which countries does Dubai airport serve most?

DXB handled 95.2 million guests in 2025. Its largest country markets were India, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Pakistan and the United States. Its largest cities were London, Riyadh, Mumbai, Jeddah and New Delhi.3 Dubai Airports says international transfers are a significant share of its traffic,4 so these rankings describe a transfer hub, not where UAE residents go.

Fig. 3.India is DXB's largest country market, with 11.9 million guests in 2025

Guests in both directions. Transfers appear to be included. Not a count of where UAE residents travel.

India11.9 million guestsIndia: 11.9 million guestsSaudi Arabia7.5 million guestsSaudi Arabia: 7.5 million guestsUnited Kingdom6.3 million guestsUnited Kingdom: 6.3 million guestsPakistan4.3 million guestsPakistan: 4.3 million guestsUnited States3.3 million guestsUnited States: 3.3 million guestsIndia11.9 million guestsIndia: 11.9 million guestsSaudi Arabia7.5 million guestsSaudi Arabia: 7.5 million guestsUnited Kingdom6.3 million guestsUnited Kingdom: 6.3 million guestsPakistan4.3 million guestsPakistan: 4.3 million guestsUnited States3.3 million guestsUnited States: 3.3 million guestsIndia11.9 million guestsIndia: 11.9 million guestsSaudi Arabia7.5 million guestsSaudi Arabia: 7.5 million guestsUnited Kingdom6.3 million guestsUnited Kingdom: 6.3 million guestsPakistan4.3 million guestsPakistan: 4.3 million guestsUnited States3.3 million guestsUnited States: 3.3 million guests

5 categories. Highest: India, 11.9 million guests. Lowest: United States, 3.3 million guests.

Source

Source: Dubai Airports, DXB sets global benchmark as record traffic become the norm. Accessed 4 Nov 2026.

Which Schengen countries do people in the UAE apply to?

Consulates in the UAE took 298,064 uniform Schengen visa applications in 2025. Germany took 40,555, the Netherlands 31,634 and Spain 30,265.5 UAE nationals do not need a visa for short stays in the Schengen area,6 so most of these applicants are likely to hold other passports. The figures count applications, not trips, and give no nationality.

Fig. 4.Germany took the most Schengen visa applications in the UAE in 2025

Uniform visa applications at consulates in the UAE, six largest countries. Applications, not trips.

Germany40,555 applicationsGermany: 40,555 applicationsNetherlands31,634 applicationsNetherlands: 31,634 applicationsSpain30,265 applicationsSpain: 30,265 applicationsFrance28,160 applicationsFrance: 28,160 applicationsItaly27,398 applicationsItaly: 27,398 applicationsSwitzerland25,603 applicationsSwitzerland: 25,603 applicationsGermany40,555 applicationsGermany: 40,555 applicationsNetherlands31,634 applicationsNetherlands: 31,634 applicationsSpain30,265 applicationsSpain: 30,265 applicationsFrance28,160 applicationsFrance: 28,160 applicationsItaly27,398 applicationsItaly: 27,398 applicationsSwitzerland25,603 applicationsSwitzerland: 25,603 applicationsGermany40,555 applicationsGermany: 40,555 applicationsNetherlands31,634 applicationsNetherlands: 31,634 applicationsSpain30,265 applicationsSpain: 30,265 applicationsFrance28,160 applicationsFrance: 28,160 applicationsItaly27,398 applicationsItaly: 27,398 applicationsSwitzerland25,603 applicationsSwitzerland: 25,603 applications

6 categories. Highest: Germany, 40,555 applications. Lowest: Switzerland, 25,603 applications.

Source

Source: European Commission, DG HOME, Visa statistics for consulates 2025. Accessed 4 Nov 2026.

All 27 countries are in Schengen visa applications in the UAE. If you are applying, check the insurance each consulate asks for.

Which visas do people in the UAE search for most?

Of five visa terms compared on Google’s relative index, “uk visa” drew the most interest.7 On that index, “uk visa” averaged 68 over the 12 months to 4 November 2026, “saudi visa” 50, “schengen visa” 41, “turkey visa” 23 and “georgia visa” 10.7

Fig. 5.UK visas drew more search interest in the UAE than Saudi, Schengen, Turkey or Georgia visas

Average relative search interest in the UAE, 12 months to 4 November 2026. An index, not search volumes.

uk visa68 indexuk visa: 68 indexsaudi visa50 indexsaudi visa: 50 indexschengen visa41 indexschengen visa: 41 indexturkey visa23 indexturkey visa: 23 indexgeorgia visa10 indexgeorgia visa: 10 indexuk visa68 indexuk visa: 68 indexsaudi visa50 indexsaudi visa: 50 indexschengen visa41 indexschengen visa: 41 indexturkey visa23 indexturkey visa: 23 indexgeorgia visa10 indexgeorgia visa: 10 indexuk visa68 indexuk visa: 68 indexsaudi visa50 indexsaudi visa: 50 indexschengen visa41 indexschengen visa: 41 indexturkey visa23 indexturkey visa: 23 indexgeorgia visa10 indexgeorgia visa: 10 index

5 categories. Highest: uk visa, 68 index. Lowest: georgia visa, 10 index.

Source

Source: Google Trends via DataForSEO, Relative search interest, UAE, 12 months to 4 Nov 2026. Accessed 4 Nov 2026. Third-party index, not volumes. DataForSEO, 4 Nov 2026.

Google Ads estimates 2,900 monthly searches for “schengen visa dubai” and 2,400 for “turkey visa for uae residents”. Its estimate for “spain visa dubai” is 1,900, and for “georgia visa for uae residents”, “germany visa dubai”, “italy visa dubai” and “switzerland visa dubai” 1,300 each.8

The small print

  • Transit shares and the change from 2024 to 2025 are calculated from the UAE.Stat figures.1
  • GCAA figures for Dubai’s airports add up to 104,564,149 movements in 2025. Dubai Airports reports 95.2 million guests at DXB.13
  • Google Ads and Ahrefs often give different estimates for the same term. They give 2,900 and 1,400 for “schengen visa dubai”, 1,300 and 350 for “switzerland visa dubai”, and 10 and 100 for “uk eta for uae residents”. Both are third-party estimates of searches made inside the UAE.89
  • Google Trends values are relative within one group of search terms. They cannot be compared with another group or read as volumes.7

Data and sources

UAE airport passenger movements, 2016 to 2025

10 rows, 4 columns. UAE.Stat, from GCAA figures. All passengers, residents and visitors.

Table 1.UAE airport passenger movements, 2016 to 2025
YearArrivalsDeparturesTransit
201630,570,22229,592,14264,197,055
201731,330,50930,503,41464,728,102
201832,583,99732,395,38264,110,817
201932,405,57732,655,92762,894,865
202011,076,78911,778,21515,536,158
202116,913,64915,824,67813,176,887
202229,926,79929,172,61941,912,232
202337,856,64137,354,31657,327,571
202441,675,06641,762,36864,395,291
202544,241,78543,036,72069,592,386

Passenger movements by emirate, 2025

7 rows, 6 columns. UAE.Stat, from GCAA figures. Total and transit share are calculated from them. Other local airports had no transit passengers in 2025.

Table 2.Passenger movements by emirate, 2025
EmirateArrivalsDeparturesTransitTotalTransit share (%)
Dubai30,224,51029,571,94544,767,694104,564,14942.8
Abu Dhabi8,316,0957,940,74417,962,06834,218,90752.5
Sharjah5,096,1585,000,8986,821,23916,918,29540.3
Ras Al Khaimah513,959451,44937,5881,002,9963.7
Fujairah90,21270,6323,797164,6412.3
Other local airports8511,05201,9030
UAE44,241,78543,036,72069,592,386156,870,89144.4

Departures by emirate, 2025

6 rows, 2 columns. UAE.Stat, from GCAA figures. The five emirates and other local airports add up to 43,036,720.

Table 3.Departures by emirate, 2025
EmirateDepartures
Dubai29,571,945
Abu Dhabi7,940,744
Sharjah5,000,898
Ras Al Khaimah451,449
Fujairah70,632
Other local airports1,052

DXB's largest country markets, 2025

5 rows, 2 columns. Dubai Airports, 11 February 2026. Guests in both directions, and transfers appear to be included. Not a count of where UAE residents travel.

Table 4.DXB's largest country markets, 2025
CountryGuests (million)
India11.9
Saudi Arabia7.5
United Kingdom6.3
Pakistan4.3
United States3.3

DXB's largest city markets, 2025

5 rows, 2 columns. Dubai Airports, 11 February 2026. Guests in both directions, and transfers appear to be included. Not a count of where UAE residents travel.

Table 5.DXB's largest city markets, 2025
CityGuests (million)
London3.9
Riyadh3
Mumbai2.4
Jeddah2.4
New Delhi2.2

Schengen visa applications at consulates in the UAE, six largest countries, 2025

6 rows, 2 columns. European Commission. 298,064 applications in all. Applications, not trips, and nationality is not recorded.

Table 6.Schengen visa applications at consulates in the UAE, six largest countries, 2025
CountryApplications
Germany40,555
Netherlands31,634
Spain30,265
France28,160
Italy27,398
Switzerland25,603

Search interest in visa terms in the UAE, 12 months to 4 November 2026

5 rows, 2 columns. Google Trends. An average relative index for these five terms compared with each other, not search volumes.

Table 7.Search interest in visa terms in the UAE, 12 months to 4 November 2026
TermAverage interest
uk visa68
saudi visa50
schengen visa41
turkey visa23
georgia visa10

Estimated monthly searches for visa terms in the UAE, as of 4 November 2026

12 rows, 3 columns. Third-party estimates of searches made inside the UAE. A blank Ahrefs cell means Ahrefs gave no figure for that term.

Table 8.Estimated monthly searches for visa terms in the UAE, as of 4 November 2026
TermGoogle AdsAhrefs
schengen visa dubai2,9001,400
turkey visa for uae residents2,4001,700
spain visa dubai1,9001,800
georgia visa for uae residents1,300UNKNOWN
germany visa dubai1,300450
italy visa dubai1,3001,400
switzerland visa dubai1,300350
france visa dubai1,000UNKNOWN
netherlands visa dubai1,000UNKNOWN
uk visa dubai880700
greece visa dubai880UNKNOWN
saudi e visa for uae residents480300

Sources

1FCSC, UAE.Stat, source General Civil Aviation Authority, Passenger Movements through Airports by Emirate, Annual series 2016 to 2025. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Passenger Movements through Airports by Emirate

2Abu Dhabi Airports, release on Zawya, Abu Dhabi Airports reports strong traffic growth at Zayed International Airport, 2 Jul 2026. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Abu Dhabi Airports reports strong traffic growth at Zayed International Airport

3Dubai Airports, DXB sets global benchmark as record traffic become the norm, 11 Feb 2026. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: DXB sets global benchmark as record traffic become the norm

4Dubai Airports, DXB enters stronger second half as capacity returns and investment continues, 26 Aug 2026. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: DXB enters stronger second half as capacity returns and investment continues

5European Commission, DG HOME, Visa statistics for consulates 2025, Published 28 May 2026, calendar 2025. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Visa statistics for consulates 2025

6European Union (EUR-Lex), Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, consolidated text, Consolidated 2025-12-30. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, consolidated text

7Google Trends via DataForSEO, Relative search interest, UAE, 12 months to 4 Nov 2026. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Relative search interest, UAE, 12 months to 4 Nov 2026

8Google Ads via DataForSEO, Monthly search volume, UAE. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Monthly search volume, UAE

9Ahrefs, Keyword volume, UAE. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Keyword volume, UAE

Owner
Travelinsurance.ae research team
Last review
Next review due
11 May 2027
Status
Published

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